Abstract

Studies were carried out to determine seed germination and dormancy of Solanum melongena cv. Ngwa local large and methods to overcome seed dormancy during seed maturation (midful seed=MS; full seed=FS; sign of ripening=SR; greenish red=GR and full red=FR). Seed germination was tested for fresh, dried and stored seeds processed by cut fruits and squeeze out seeds (Csq), dry; cut fruits, ferment, wash and dry seeds (CF) and dry seeds on whole fruit (DOF). Seeds reached physiological maturity (maximum dry weight) at the FR stage. Germination of the fresh seeds showed that all the developmental stages had acquired germination ability but were dormant. Fresh seeds harvested at FR and MS gave 29 and 24% germination, respectively. DOF improved seed germination percentage from 24 to 46 in MS and 29 to 50 in FR after one month of seed storage. Furthermore, the interaction effect indicated that DOF caused seeds to overcome dormancy by the third month of seeds in storage where FR and MS gave 90 and 73% seed germination, respectively. However, the main effect of FR could overcome dormancy to give 71% seed germination in five months of seed storage. This implied that the treatment (DOF) thus saved two months in overcoming dormancy as well as gave a higher germination percentage. Fruits from the crop species could be picked at MS and FR stages of development and seeds processed by DOF under the sun. This will overcome the seed dormancy in three months, improve germination and preserve the perishable genetic resources (seeds) from attack by Quelea quelea L. and Lucinodes orbonalis Guen.

Key words: Dormancy, seed drying, seed germination, seed processing and stage of seed harvest.